Description

Delight in this luscious Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake, combining rich chocolate cake with creamy peanut butter filling and a fluffy whipped topping. This easy-to-make dessert features a moist chocolate base infused with peanut butter, punctured to soak up a smooth peanut butter condensed milk mixture, all topped with light whipped cream and optional chocolate chips and peanut butter cup pieces for added texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

1 box (425 g) chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box: eggs, oil, and water)
1 cup (250 ml) creamy peanut butter

Filling

1 can (14 oz / 397 g) sweetened condensed milk
0.5 cup (125 ml) creamy peanut butter, melted

Topping

1 container (8 oz / 225 g) whipped topping, thawed
0.5 cup (50 g) mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings (optional)
0.5 cup (75 g) chopped Reese’s or peanut butter cups (optional)

Instructions

Prepare and bake the cake: Preheat your oven according to the directions on the cake mix box. Grease and lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking dish. Prepare the chocolate cake mix as directed on the box, then stir in 1 cup of creamy peanut butter until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake typically for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and poke holes: Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or skewer, poke holes evenly spaced about 1 inch apart all over the surface of the cake to allow the filling to seep in.
Mix filling: In a bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and the melted peanut butter until fully combined and smooth, creating a pourable filling.
Pour filling over cake: Slowly pour the peanut butter and condensed milk mixture over the cake, making sure it fills all the holes. This step helps the cake absorb the rich filling thoroughly.
Chill the cake: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld together and the filling to firm up slightly.
Add whipped topping and garnish: After chilling, spread the whipped topping evenly over the surface with a spatula, covering the entire cake. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups for added texture and flavor. Slice into squares and serve chilled.

Notes

Ensure the cake is warm but not hot when poking holes to prevent breaking the surface too much.
Using creamy peanut butter helps achieve a smoother texture in the batter and filling.
For a richer chocolate flavor, use chocolate shavings instead of mini chocolate chips as a topping.
The cake should be served chilled to best enjoy the creamy texture and flavor combination.
You can substitute Reese’s with any other peanut butter cup candy or omit if you prefer a simpler topping.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate poke cake, peanut butter dessert, easy chocolate cake, creamy peanut butter filling, chocolate peanut butter dessert